Nikoleta Kováč on Recreating traditional meals in a sustainable way

2022-11-24

I Don't Need a Lot of Fame, Just a Few Quiet Days With My Family, Says Surová dcérka [Raw Daughter] About Christmas

Surová dcérka aka Nikoleta Kováčová has been a vegan since 2013, and at the same time the author of three cookbooks about vegan diet in Slovakia. The harsh-sounding adjective “raw” comes from the raw diet at her beginnings, but also speaks to her quality of saying things straight and to the point. Surová dcérka's recipes are based on Slovak tradition, but they are also uncomplicatedly vegan and manageable for the average person. They not only take into account nature and the world we live in but also balance and taste. Even "meat eaters" will find her recipes to their liking.

Photo: Jana Benešová

Nikoleta, how do you solve the dilemma of "celebrating the holidays properly" versus "think of nature and be kind to it" during Christmas?

I grew up in a garden, where I spent most of my childhood, so food and nature are strongly connected for me. If land degradation, monocultures and the climate crisis continue, Christmas celebration will also be threatened.

We all romanticize Christmas to some extent, but I see it much more realistically. I don't need a lot of fame, but a few quiet days with my family is enough. Every year my Christmas becomes more minimalistic because I find that I don't need much.

How do you shop for groceries at Christmas time when there are lots of people everywhere and even more discounts and great deals?

I try not to shop at the last minute. I keep non-perishables at home ahead of time so that I only have to visit the store for odds and ends or fresh vegetables and fruit. I avoid big purchases and consider if I really need something extra. The best tactic is to make a shopping list at home – and stick to it.

Can you think of some simple tips on how to replace animal products in our daily and festive diets so that we don't miss out on nutrients?

The first rule is to replace animal products, not just eliminate them. Include sources of protein and fat in the diet to give a person what they need. It is advisable to reach for nuts, seeds, legumes, tempeh, seitan and other great foods that we normally eat little of.

A vegan diet is naturally less high in fat and calories. Therefore, it’s good to think about fats and have larger portions so that you don't feel hungry. When replacing milk with plant-based milk, reach for milk or yoghurt fortified with calcium, vitamin D and B12.

Will you recommend Christmas products that are forgotten but shouldn't be? What can we use to liven up our menu and our Christmas table?

Prunes, pears, apples and mushrooms. If you like cabbage soup, there's nothing like a big portion of dried fruit to spice it up. At our house we also make Christmas mushroom soup, which we love even more. In addition to dried oak, it also contains dried pears and prunes.

Poppy seed buds are often left out, which I think is a great pity. Poppy seeds deserve more space in our diet.

Significantly more is wasted at Christmas than at other times of the year. How to waste as little as possible during the holidays?

Make a list of your meals and groceries and buy less fresh food. And since there is a lot of cooking at Christmas, it is also important to store leftovers well and neatly so that they are not forgotten and end up in the bin.

If you have a lot of vegetable scraps left at home, make a container of vegetable stock – you'll use it after the holidays. A large number of citrus peels can be turned into a homemade cleanser or candied fruit. And if you make your own baked goods, make croutons, breadcrumbs or a vegan breakfast-style bread in an egg.

Eating less meat is one way to alleviate the planet the most. How to fully replace, for example, noodles, to which many of us are accustomed during Christmas?

I like to replace the noodles with homemade seitan. It can be perfectly seasoned and has a texture very close to meat. Plus, it's a wheat protein, so there's no shortage of protein in it either. You coat it in a batter of flour and spices, in breadcrumbs – and fry it. You can also create magic from legumes or mushrooms, so that everyone can find their own even in case of intolerance.

How to find the "right" food on crowded shelves? As a customer in a supermarket, what should we look out for?

If one is looking for plant-based foods, certificates are a great help. Mainly a certificate from the Vegan Society, the V-label, which can be shown as a V with a leaf in a yellow circle or the word Vegan with a flower.

Other useful certifications are the RSPO for palm oil, ISCC on product sustainability or BIO and Fairtrade.

Christmas is ruled by abundance. We routinely prepare many types of food that are not exactly the healthiest. What would you replace the excess sugar or fat with – for example in a traditional Christmas cake?

No sugar and fat substitutes will help if one consumes more than is healthy. For sweetening you can use coconut sugar, dates, replace butter with good quality oil. Quantity is always important.

I sweeten my Christmas cake or other cakes less, I use good quality vegetable butters instead of butter. I always count on the fact that I will treat myself exceptionally and at a reasonable amount. So I have no regrets because I don't overeat – so it has no chance to affect my diet.

We mentioned the aforementioned frying and other "traditional", often unhealthy practices that we inherit. How to approach Christmas dinner in a better way and prepare an alternative to fish and salad that is lighter but still tasty?

The combination of meat and frying is hard on digestion. We see this when fatigue sets in after dinner or when we seek relief for a heavy stomach. In our country, substituting fish with mushroom or tofu has been very popular. Both ingredients can be marinated and coated in nori seaweed, which adds a fishy flavor and even after baking, the result is much lighter. Someone also uses other mushrooms or celery. I've tasted everything and I definitely recommend the mushroom to start with.

Can healthy and sustainable be tasty at the same time? Can you give us a tip for a festive recipe that is your favorite and an example of such a combination?

In addition to Lenten cabbage or mushroom soup, I recommend raw Parisian rolls. Since the base is nuts, dark chocolate, cocoa and a minimum of sweetener, it's a great alternative to the original. And it tastes perfect. Of course, you don't need to eat the whole tin.

Meaningful New Years resolutions

2022-11-24

Five New Year's Resolutions That Make Sense

How many times have you made a New Year's resolution after Christmas? And how many times have you kept it? Motivation, especially post-Christmas motivation, is often a short-term affair. This is mainly because the goals are not so important or their results are not sufficiently visible. This year we invite you to try a resolution that's worth it. One that leads to a more sustainable life and a healthier planet.

1. Eat more seasonal and local fruit, vegetables and whole grains

One of the best things we can do for the planet is changing how we eat. Eating a healthy, balanced diet with a greater proportion and wider range of plant foods will help our health and the health of our Earth. Green Thursdays, along with Mondays and Saturdays, for example, are worth considering in terms of reducing waste. And they pay off even during the holidays.

It’s a shame that 75% of the global food supply includes only 12 plant and 5 animal species. There are many to choose from. Increased interest in less traditional products will only increase their supply and aid biodiversity.

2. Let's shop consciously

While discounts are a temptation, one of your post-Christmas resolutions could be to shop mindfully. This means not only checking food certifications, but also buying less food – only the food that we actually eat. Let us not forget that agricultural land currently occupies 40% of habitable land, which is a major cause of deforestation, biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions.

Swapping is also an excellent way of conscious shopping. Instead of spending money on new things, let's try to replace something. Most of us have devices or products at home that we don't use. There are substantial opportunities to offer items in exchange for something useful on social networks or offline events. And if you don't have anything to swap, how about buying secondhand?

3. Let's reduce food waste

There are plenty of tips on the internet for using leftovers. Try freezing ripe bananas if you just can't finish them. Once defrosted, they are a great ingredient for banana bread. Turn overripe fruit into a smoothie, dry pastry into breadcrumbs. What we can't save, we can compost at home thanks to modern composters. Let's not contribute to the 37 million tons of food thrown away in the EU every year.

4. Let's replace takeaway with cooking at home

When you order food, every item is in packaging. Along with bags, cutlery, napkins, pads, energy. One lunch delivery transform into several burdens on the planet. The average European produces up to 5 tons of waste a year, and only 38% is recycled. It's time to start changing that. Takeaway packaging is a step that anyone can take now.

Also consider reusable dishes or bottles that can be refilled with tap water around the clock. We'll save the planet and our wallets.

5. Everything we consume comes from nature – think about connecting with it

A time-honored cliché, but still 100% true. Nature has a beneficial effect on our physical and mental health. It gives us everything we need to survive. By getting closer to nature – by walking in the woods, a morning run by the river, by meeting with someone in the real world – we learn to appreciate it. Up to 40% of the fish we eat comes from rivers – we have these rivers to be thankful for.

Everything we eat comes from nature – and modifying our diet is one of the easiest ways to help our planet.

Let's learn, let's try, let's not be afraid to make mistakes and let's show others how to do it, how not to create waste. Awareness is the first step towards change, and even a small change is extremely important for the world we live in. Yet by eating while maintaining respect for our planet, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food by up to 30%, reduce the loss of animal species by up to 46%, reduce land use by 41% or more, and even reduce the risk of premature deaths by at least 20%. It's truly worth it.

RECIPE: CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

2022-11-24

You can also prepare a traditional Christmas stollen without milk, diary butter and eggs – it doesn't take away from the taste. Even though it is made from sourdough, it will keep fresh for up to a few weeks, so I recommend including it in a zero waste Christmas menu. It will last you until you eat it!

Photo: Nikoleta Kováčová

Preparation time: 4 hours
Amount: 1 stollen (approx. 900 g)

Ingredients:
125 g dried raisins/cranberries
100 g candied fruit
70 g chopped almonds
50 g of rum
100 g vegetable milk (I recommend almond milk)
20 g fresh yeast
100 g granulated sugar
300 g plain wheat flour
½ tsp of salt
1 tsp gingerbread spice
1 tsp lemon zest
½ teaspoon ground vanilla
60 g vegetable butter + 40 g for rubbing (optional)
ground birch sugar for dusting

The night before baking, mix the dried raisins/cranberries, candied fruit and almonds with the rum in a bowl. Leave the ingredients covered to rest overnight. They soak up the fragrant aromas.

Remove the vegetable butter from the refrigerator at least an hour before baking to soften. Although both animal butter and milk are said to give desserts a rich flavor, plant-based alternatives have a significantly lower impact on land and water use, as well as on the climate, because they are not associated with the production of greenhouse gases. You won't lose your taste buds by using them – on the contrary, the almond flavor of the dairy alternative will add a new dimension to the cake and the lower burden on our planet will warm you up all the more at Christmas.

Stir the yeast in room temperature vegetable milk, add 10 g granulated sugar, 10 g flour and leave to rise. It will take approximately 10 to 20 minutes.

You can work the dough by hand or with a food processor. I use a food processor, expect at least double the time when kneading by hand. In a bowl, mix together the remaining sugar and flour, salt, gingerbread spice, lemon zest and vanilla. The amount of sugar is, of course, advisable for reduction, so it is limited in this way. Those who don't like sweet cakes can even use only half the recommended amount – dried and candied fruit will provide the sweetness in the tart. You can also swap the sugar for another alternative, such as birch sugar.

Add the finished sourdough starter and room temperature vegetable butter to the mixture. Make a smooth, non-sticky dough. You can tell it's done by the fact that it won't stick to the bowl. It should not take more than 10 minutes.

Shape the dough into a loaf and let it rise for 90 minutes under a damp cloth. This dough doesn't increase in volume significantly, so don't worry that the mass won't double. Once the dough has risen, transfer it back to the bowl, add the dried fruit mixture with the almonds and rum, as well as continue kneading until the fruit is evenly incorporated.

On a work surface with no flour, roll out the dough into a rectangle. The longer side should be 35 to 40 cm long. Fold the shorter side of the rectangle into thirds. First the right third to the middle, then the left third over both. Press the connection that remains on the right side. This creates a classic, long shawl shape with a scoop on one side.

Place the sheet on baking paper, cover with cling film and leave to rise for a further 90 minutes. Remove any pieces of fruit that remain on the surface of the sheet so that they do not burn during baking.

Brush the sheet with vegetable milk and bake in a preheated oven at 175 °C for about 30 to 35 minutes until dark brown. After baking, prick the tart with a skewer, brush with 40 g of melted vegetable butter and dust with ground birch sugar. This layer is optional, but it will keep the sheet fresh for longer.

Allow the stollen to rest for at least 4 hours before slicing. We wish you good eating and happy holidays!

This recipe was created for WWF by the food blogger Nikoleta Kováčová, author of vegan recipes and cookbooks Slovegán.

RECIPE: CHRISTMAS MUSHROOM AND POTATO SALAD

2022-11-24

This is my proven recipe, thanks to which you can prepare a Christmas feast without fish and mayonnaise, so the taste will fool even those who won’t give up Christmas fish. The typical fish taste is taken care of by nori seaweed. The texture of the fish is perfectly replaced by porcini mushroom, which is a great substitute for anyone looking for a vegan alternative, but do not want to give up this traditional Christmas dish. If you want to eat a more plant-based diet, mushrooms use up to a thousand times less water to grow than the same amount of meat. A great choice! And lentil mayonnaise will take your quest for a 100% plant-based Christmas to the next level.

Photo: Nikoleta Kováčová

Amount: 4 servings
Time: 2 hours

Homemade lentil mayonnaise:
160 g of red lentils
400 ml of water
40 to 140 g of rapeseed oil
½ tsp of salt
1 tsp of mustard
6 tsp of apple cider vinegar/lemon juice
½ tsp of liquid sweetener (chicory syrup)

Salad:
2 kg of potatoes
300 - 400 g of lentil mayonnaise
200 g of peas
1 cup of pickled cucumbers
3 - 4 carrots
1 onion
2 - 3 tbsp of vinegar
1 tbsp of liquid sweetener (chicory syrup)
salt
pinch of black pepper

Mushroom Carp:
350 g of mushrooms
50 ml of olive oil
2 tsp of fish seasoning
200 g of plain flour
10 g of nutritional yeast
½ tsp of salt
pinch of black pepper
250 ml of water
20 ml of vinegar
nori riasa
corn/panko breadcrumbs
sunflower oil for frying

It's not just eggs that you can make mayonnaise from. With this recipe, you gain an extra portion of legumes in your diet, which you should not forget if you want to eat a full-fledged plant-based diet. Wash the lentils under running water. In a bowl, cover them with 400 ml of water and leave to stand overnight or for at least 3 hours before making the mayonnaise. Blend the softened lentils with the water in a blender until smooth. Strain the thicker lentil milk thus formed through a fine cheesecloth or a cheese or vegetable milk bag.

You should now have about 200 grams of pure lentil milk. Bring it to a boil in a saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, for at least 5 minutes until thickened. When it gets a thick, with almost custard-like consistency, stop cooking and let it rest in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Start blending the cooled lentil milk again in the blender on low speed. Add the oil gradually. I leave the exact weight up to you: for a lower calorie mayonnaise you can use only 40 grams of oil, for a smoother and creamier consistency use more oil. Salt the mayonnaise and season with mustard, apple cider vinegar and chicory syrup, which has a low glycemic index due to its high fiber content and only 5% sugar.

To prepare the salad, first boil the carrots and potatoes in their skin. Peel the potatoes once cooked and slice or press through a potato masher. Chop the cooked carrots and cucumbers as well, then add them to the potatoes in a bowl. Drain the peas in the same bowl.

Chop the onion finely and cook separately in about 200 ml of water. Add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sweetener and salt. Cook until the onions are soft, then you can strain the onions: you will be left with only "broth". If you don't mind onions in your salad, you don't need to strain the water. Add the brine to the potatoes and stir. Finally, add the lentil mayonnaise. Season with black pepper, salt and water from the pickled cucumbers. I recommend preparing the salad at least a day in advance and letting it sit in a cool place. You will give the flavors time to come together beautifully.

Slice the mushroom, which will be the star of your all-plant Christmas, and wipe it thoroughly with a damp cloth. Place it in a bowl and add the olive oil and fish seasoning. Leave the mushrooms to marinate for an hour or ideally overnight.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, water and vinegar to form a dough for coating. You may not be familiar with nutritional yeast. It's a deactivated type of yeast that's celebrated for its great cheesy-umami flavor and high protein content, so it's not just a source of flavor, it's a secret source of protein that you'll love when eating a plant-based diet.

Roll each piece of mushroom in a moistened slice of nori seaweed, followed by the batter and breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry each piece until golden. Serve this Christmas mushroom with a salad and a sprinkle of lemon, which goes as well with it as with the fish.

This recipe was created for WWF by the food blogger Nikoleta Kováčová, author of vegan recipes and cookbooks Slovegán.

RECIPE: STUFFED CABBAGE LEAVES

2022-11-24

There are many versions of stuffed cabbage leaves, but you probably haven't come across one like this before. The leaves usually conceal a variety of meats. But what if you want to lighten up your meat diet, help the planet, but still enjoy your beloved stuffed cabbage? Try this recipe, where meat is replaced by perfectly seasoned beans. Approximately 60 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture are caused by animal farming – so this recipe will be a good choice for you and our planet thanks to its protein content.

Photo: Nikoleta Kováčová

Time: 90 minutes
Amount: 4 servings

Cabbage leaves:
80 g of groat
350 ml of water
3 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
270 g of white onions
20 g of garlic
100 g of cleaned carrots
250 g of cooked/sterilized beans
40 g of concentrated tomato puree
1 tsp of smoked ground paprika
¼ teaspoon of ground thyme
¼ teaspoon of minced rosemary
1 and ½ tsp of salt
⅙ tsp of black pepper
5 g of carrot/parsley
1 head of cabbage

Sauce:
2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
150 g of red onion
150 g of cabbage
1 garlic clove
1 can of sliced tomatoes
200 g of passata tomato sauce
1 sprig of rosemary
2 bay leaves
½ tsp of salt
⅙ tsp of black pepper
200 g of water
300 g of coconut cream

Pour water over the washed groats and cook until soft. Cook them over a low heat. Depending on the size of the groat, it will take about 15 minutes for smaller and medium sized hail.

Meanwhile, fry the finely chopped onion in a frying pan with heated oil until golden. Add the grated garlic with the grated carrots and sauté for another 2 - 3 minutes. Wash your favorite beans under running water. I recommend the darker and red types of beans, which also replace the meat in appearance. Using your hand or a fork, mash it and add it to the carrots.

Stir everything together and top with tomato puree, smoked paprika, thyme, rosemary, salt, black pepper and chopped parsley.

Mash all the ingredients in the pan into a thick, sticky paste. Finally, stir in the cooked groats and the perfect filling is ready. In this way, you can easily replace meat in a meal not only taste-wise, but also nutritionally. We often forget about legumes and eat less of them than we should. You won't even realize you're just catching up on your healthy legume intake for the week.

Cut out the head from the cabbage. Bring it all to a boil in a pot of water. The outer leaves will soften after a few minutes of cooking. When this is done, take them out of the pot one at a time and stuff them with the bean filling. Trim the thickest part of the hard center from the leaves, fold the trimmed edge over the filling, fold the sides of the leaf under the filling and roll them up.

When the cabbage leaves are ready, proceed with the tomato sauce. In the pot in which you cooked the cabbage, fry the finely chopped onion in the oil until golden. Add 150 g of finely chopped cabbage and garlic. Sauté for a while and add chopped tomatoes, puree, a sprig of rosemary, bay leaf, salt and black pepper.

Place the leaves in the sauce and cover with about 200 ml of water so that they are almost completely submerged. Cook them in this way on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Before serving, add sour coconut cream to the leaves, which is not only lactose-free, but also contains less fat.

This recipe was created for WWF by the food blogger Nikoleta Kováčová, author of vegan recipes and cookbooks Slovegán.

HOW FOOD CAN HELP SOLVE THE CLIMATE CRISIS

2022-01-10

We need clean air and water for a sustainable future. We also need healthy land. Climate change doesn’t just alter the health of our land but is also affected by how we use it. The bad news is that the way we currently manage our land is contributing to the increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The good news is there are solutions and, central to them, is how we produce and consume food. By Joao Campari – Global Leader, Food Practice – WWF

The IPCC report (UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) brings together multiple lines of evidence showing that the window of opportunity to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels - the most ambitious target of the Paris Agreement - is rapidly closing.

We already know that our land surfaces are warming faster than the global average. This puts them at severe risk, and their deterioration will lead to decreases in crop yields, increases in droughts and wildfires, and even more carbon pollution which will accelerate further warming. At the same time, rapid warming is largely driven by our land-use — agriculture, forestry and other uses contribute between a fifth and a quarter of net global greenhouse gas emissions. We are using more land than ever before, and population growth will only fuel demand unless we tackle our consumption, including for food.

There are two ways we can use our lands to both improve their health and productivity, and to limit their impact on global warming. We can reduce the amount of emissions from land and we can use land to draw down carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere.

With regards to reducing emissions, we can only do so if we transform our food system.

© Mariana Medvedeva on Unsplash

Firstly, it’s necessary to decrease deforestation and natural habitat conversion. Agriculture has caused nearly three quarters of all deforestation but, alongside forests, it also affects other types of landscapes — in fact more than 50 per cent of habitat destruction from food production happens in grasslands and savannas. Businesses have begun to show commitment to eliminating deforestation and conversion from their supply chains, but they must act with more urgency and at a much larger scale, following the principles, definitions and guidance of the Accountability Framework Initiative (AFI). Governments meanwhile must implement stronger policies to protect nature and halt conversion.

Secondly, we need to change our diets. Too much of what we eat, from red meat to rice, is contributing to the increased amount of emissions released. Worse, in many places we eat more of these foods than needed for nutrition. To enable change, alongside nutritional needs and improved health, official guidance needs to account for the environmental impacts of different diets. As more countries evolve their guidance, there needs to be a concerted effort to drive implementation, with assertive promotion of standards and the integration of multiple sectors of society. We need to jointly enhance human and planetary health. Check out WWF six simple tips on sustainable diets that look at the food changes needed to keep temperature rise below 2 degrees. (link to Livewell principles article) The power is on our plates, and each of us can become part of the solution with our everyday choices.

Thirdly, we need to cut food loss and waste. Approximately one third of all food produced is never eaten. The emissions created in the production of wasted food are entirely unnecessary but even more are released when food decomposes in landfills. Diverting uneaten food to compost or animal feed is beneficial but the real win comes further up the chain by preventing consumer waste in the first place. Consumer-facing businesses need to transparently measure and reduce their waste, while governments will be well-placed to consider legislation that penalises wasteful practices.

In terms of using land to draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the carbon sequestering capabilities of agricultural soils must be improved. Implementing agrobiodiverse production systems and agroecological practices in existing farms and ranches is one option. We can also rehabilitate degraded soils and protect grasslands and then use them for conversion-free food production, with ecosystem services preserved.

For instance, sustainable livestock ranching on grasslands not only maintains the landscape and contributes to food security but also protects soil health, allowing for efficient and long-term carbon sequestration below ground. Businesses and consumers alike must demand conversion-free, sustainably produced foods which support healthy soils. Governments must disincentivize farming methods which deplete soil quality and thus encourage additional conversion.

To stop climate change we must both cut emissions from land uses, and better use land to draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Clearly the food system has a massive role to play. It does not mean that we can forget about energy, urban and industrial systems, but we must place land use transformation on equal footing at the top of our agenda with energy use. By doing so, we can strengthen climate resilience, improve food security and protect biodiversity for generations to come.

11 + 1 TIPS ON HOW TO HOST A SUSTAINABLE BARBECUE

2022-01-09

Summer is full of opportunities for outdoor activities and enjoying fresh air and the beauty of nature. It also gives us a chance to gather with friends and family and enjoy their company somewhere outside: in a garden, at a picnic or a barbecue. However, a summer feasting can easily end up being an event with lots of meat consumed, food waste and garbage produced. According to a research a typical summer barbecue for four people can be responsible for more greenhouse gases than an 80-mile car journey.* To avoid that, WWF suggests some easy swaps you can make . Follow some tips that make this time spent together more sustainable.

1. Offer meat-free alternatives. Grilled vegetables, mushrooms especially, cheese, fish or meat alternative products can be tasty and healthy. Look for seasonal, local ingredients to ensure low environmental impact and best taste. Even if you serve meat, too, people can vary their menu and the amount of meat consumed will be less overall.
2. If you serve meat, try to go for organic or free range options. Buy unusual cuts of meat (ask the butcher to help you). Consuming all of the animal is a crucial part of eating meat sustainably.
3. Avoid pre-packaged and ready-prepared food, it usually contains more sugar, salt and fat, and also comes with plastic package that cannot be recycled.
4. Prepare small portions. Large portions can encourage people to over-eat which is unhealthy and has a large impact on the environment.
5. Make use of leftovers. Consider how you will store the food that is not consumed and plan ahead. You can also prepare with (not single-use) food boxes for the guests, but freezing and eating it later is also an option.
6. It always takes time for the meal to be prepared and snacks are usually needed in the meantime. Serve only healthy, palm oil-free snacks. Home-made versions are always better than pre-packed ones. You can chop up some seasonal vegetables for example. It will be a good appetizer, too.
7. Do not use disposable plates, cups and cutlery. Use permanent ones and rinse them after use. Do not serve the drinks with single-use straws and avoid any disposable plastic decoration.
8. Serve filtered water and fresh squeezed juice rather than sugary drinks in plastic bottles.
9. Make sure you are prepared for selective waste management and the proper bins are available for the guests.
10. You can help your guests to organize their trips by car sharing.
11. Use solar lights after dark, it will be more environmental friendly, cozy and your electricity bill will be moderated as well.

+1. You can be a cathalyzer for change, motivate others by explaining your decisions and why it is important to you to make the event more sustainable.

© Rodnae Productions

* A research by UK scientists showcased in the exhibition Take a Bite Out of Climate Change

7 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PALM OIL

2022-01-05

WWF’s palm oil scorecard shows that many of the foods we eat are still contributing to deforestation. Here’s what you need to know.

1. WHAT IS PALM OIL?

It’s an edible vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of oil palm trees, the scientific name is Elaeis guineensis. Two types of oil can be produced; crude palm oil comes from squeezing the fleshy fruit, and palm kernel oil which comes from crushing the kernel, or the stone in the middle of the fruit. Oil palm trees are native to Africa but were brought to South-East Asia just over 100 years ago as an ornamental tree crop. Now, Indonesia and Malaysia make up over 85% of global supply but there are 42 other countries that also produce palm oil.

Smallholder shows the harvested palm fruit, Musim Mas palm oil plantation, Sumatra, Indonesia © James Morgan / WWF-International

2. WHAT PRODUCTS IS IT IN?

Palm oil is in nearly everything – it’s in close to 50% of the packaged products we find in supermarkets, everything from pizza, doughnuts and chocolate, to deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste and lipstick. It’s also used in animal feed and as a biofuel in many parts of the world.

3. WHY IS PALM OIL EVERYWHERE?

Palm oil is an extremely versatile oil that has many different properties and functions which makes it so useful and so widely used. It is semi-solid at room temperature so can keep spreads spreadable; it is resistant to oxidation and so can give products a longer shelf-life; it’s stable at high temperatures and so helps to give fried products a crispy and crunchy texture; it’s also odourless and colourless so doesn’t alter the look or smell of food products. In Asian and African countries, palm oil is used widely as a cooking oil, just like we might use sunflower or olive oil here.

4. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH PALM OIL?

Palm oil has been and continues to be a major driver of deforestation of some of the world’s most biodiverse forests, destroying the habitat of already endangered species like the Orangutan, pygmy elephant and Sumatran rhino. This forest loss coupled with conversion of carbon rich peat soils are throwing out millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and contributing to climate change. There also remains some exploitation of workers and child labour. These are serious issues that the whole palm oil sector needs to step up to address because it doesn’t have to be this way.

Bornean elephants walk through an oil palm plantation and eat the trunks of felled old oil palm trees at Sabah Softwoods in Sabah, Borneo © Chris J Ratcliffe / WWF-UK

5. WHAT SOLUTIONS ARE THERE?

Palm oil can be produced more sustainably and things can change. The Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil ( RSPO) was formed in 2004 in response to increasing concerns about the impacts palm oil was having on the environment and on society. The RSPO has a production standard that sets best practices producing and sourcing palm oil, and it has the buy-in of most of the global industry. As well as committing to buy and use RSPO certified palm oil across their operations globally, WWF encourages companies to be transparent in their use and sourcing of palm oil ensuring they know who they are buying from and where it’s been produced, and to invest in and support smallholder programmes and sustainable landscape initiatives. Only with all of these ingredients can we start to accelerate the shift to a mainstream sustainable palm oil industry.

Darrel Webber, Secretary General of Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), talks about producing sustainable palm oil. TEDxWWF, Singapore. © WWF / Carolyn Lim

6. WHY DON’T WE JUST SWITCH TO AN ALTERNATIVE VEGETABLE OIL?

Palm oil is an incredibly efficient crop, producing more oil per land area than any other equivalent vegetable oil crop. Globally, palm oil supplies 35% of the world’s vegetable oil demand on just 10% of the land. To get the same amount of alternative oils like soybean or coconut oil you would need anything between 4 and 10 times more land, which would just shift the problem to other parts of the world and threaten other habitats and species. Furthermore, palm oil is an important crop for the GDP of emerging economies and there are millions of smallholder farmers who depend on producing palm oil for their livelihood. Boycotting palm oil is not always the answer, but demanding more action to tackle the issues and go further and faster, is.

7. CAN I TRUST RSPO CERTIFIED PRODUCTS?

RSPO represents the largest, independent, third-party standard for the more sustainable production of palm oil. Certified palm oil protects the environment and the local communities who depend on it for their livelihoods, so that palm oil can continue to play a key role in food security. Along with other organisations, we play an active role in influencing and shaping the RSPO standard to make sure it puts in place more safeguards for people and the planet. In November 2018 the RSPO standard was strengthened and it now represents an essential tool that can help companies achieve their commitments to palm oil that is free of deforestation, expansion on peat, exploitation and the use of fire.

WHAT CAN I DO?

You can either check the ingredients on the products we buy, and refuse the ones that contain palm oil, or specifically search for the sustainable options marked by RSPO.

Check out our new WWF Palm oil Scorecard to see which of your favourite brands and retailers are committed to sustainable palm oil free of deforestation and destruction of nature.

THE POWER IS ON OUR PLATES

2022-01-03

We all want to make the world a better place. But what power does one person actually have? Is it really possible to stop deforestation in the Amazon? Or help keep the polar ice caps from melting? Or save tigers and orangutans from going extinct? In short, yes! And it isn’t as hard as you might think. You can start by wisely choosing the food that you put on your plate. In fact, this may be the most powerful action that each of us can take to make the world a better place — and we can start today. Just how is food connected to deforestation, climate change, and wildlife? By Brent Loken, Global Food Lead Scientist, WWF

Many studies, including the 2020 Living Planet Report, have shown that how we produce and consume food is one of the biggest drivers of our planet’s deteriorating health. There is good news though — the main conclusions from this growing body of research are that: 1) we still have time to reverse course and restore nature; 2) there are win-win solutions available today that are good for people and planet; and 3) what we eat matters.

In fact, what we eat matters a lot. Our food systems have caused 70 percent of biodiversity loss on land and 50% in water; they’re responsible for around 25 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions; and they’ve caused 80% of global deforestation. Our dietary choices aren’t just damaging the planet, they are also damaging our own health. Unhealthy diets now pose a greater risk of morbidity and mortality than unsafe sex and alcohol, drug and tobacco use combined.

The solution is right on our plates.

Vegetables are displayed for sale at a local street market in Berkhamsted in England. © Elizabeth Dalziel / WWF-UK

In Bending the Curve: The Restorative Power of Planet-Based Diets, we demonstrate that planet-based diets (high in human health benefits and low in environmental impact) not only reduce environmental damage and harm to our health, they can also be restorative — a true “win-win”. These diverse and flexible dietary patterns can help restore nature by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, halting deforestation, and saving wildlife.

Some people may argue that warnings of the catastrophic impacts of the destruction of nature are alarmist: the human population has never been healthier, and food has never been more plentiful; the human species has always advanced by utilizing natural resources and it has in fact been positive and necessary for our species to thrive. But this argument is inherently flawed. Although agricultural revolutions of the past have enabled us to feed more people, and the rapid productivity gains since the “green revolution” have spurred improvements in human health, these gains, have come at the expense of the environment. Current global food production depends on practices that cross planetary boundaries, taking us into dangerous territory and an uncertain future. So far, increased food productivity has been able to stay ahead of the effects of a deteriorating environment — but this time lag has masked the underlying symptoms of a planet in crisis, and tricked us into believing that exploitation of the Earth’s resources is without reckoning. Far from being alarmist, there is now overwhelming scientific evidence that our past actions are catching up with us.

But, if the evidence clearly demonstrates that we can restore the planet and feed humanity, then why aren’t we doing it? Three barriers have hindered action to date. Firstly, the science has only recently advanced enough for us to fully understand the global impact of the food system. Secondly, the problem has yet to be broken down in sufficient detail for individual countries to understand their piece of the global jigsaw puzzle of building a food system that feeds humanity without destroying the planet. Thirdly, humanity has never before needed to change the food system so radically at this scale or speed. The enormity of the task at hand can freeze individuals and policymakers and prevent them from taking action.

With this new study, we hope to help remove these three barriers so that action can be taken on the ground. Our work assesses how various dietary patterns could impact both the environment and human health in nearly 150 countries around the world. What we found was that dietary shifts will impact countries differently. Some countries will need to reduce their consumption of animal-source foods while others may need to increase them. Some countries may see GHG emissions decrease while others may see them increase. Some countries will need to radically transform current diets while others may need instead to work to hold on to traditional dietary patterns and resist a transition to a more Western diet. All countries, however, will need to raise the ambition of their National Dietary Guidelines and integrate dietary shifts into other policy frameworks.

Alongside the report, we have built an interactive Impact & Action Calculator which allows users to measure the impacts of customized diets, based on 13 food groups, giving them greater flexibility in evaluating potential dietary shifts. With this collection of information, we hope to help national-level decision-makers develop ambitious national food plans to improve human health and reduce environmental impacts.

A young girl eating healthy vegetables © Kelly Sillaste / Getty Images / WWF

TOP TIPS FOR A SUSTAINABLE CHRISTMAS

2021-12-18

The way we choose to spend our money is a vote for the world we want to create. So here are our tips on how to make your festivities friendlier to our planet, our one shared home

PRESENTS

1. Quality not quantity: Buying fewer but better-quality gifts reduces the chances of gifts going to waste and can be better for your wallet  too. Why not do a  Secret Santa with your friends or family, avoiding novelty  gifts that will inevitably get chucked away.

2. Gift an experience:  Reduce demand for physical resources by gifting an experience to your loved ones instead. Whether it’s gifting your time or a pre-bought experience, it’s a great opportunity to bring people together.

3. Think about materials:  Look at the materials gifts are made from and keep sustainability in mind. Ensure wood and paper are made from recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified materials, avoid single plastics items that can’t be recycled, and look for things like Organic-certified food and clothing.  Buying second-hand items like vintage clothes, furniture, and refurbished technology, are also great ways to gift more sustainably as it saves on resources to make new products!

Christmas presents wrapped with fabric by Steve Cukrov Photography / Creative Market

4. Remove packaging: Reduce waste even further by buying gifts with little or no packaging. Sometimes shopping local can help with this, especially if you have a local refill shop. If packaging is unavoidable,  opt for something  plastic-free or made from recycled, or recyclable, materials.  And don’t forget your reusable bags to carry all your shopping home!

5. Test your wrapping skills: Look for cards and wrapping paper made from recycled or FSC-certified paper. Avoid plastic ribbon and tape, and foil-backed papers or those with glitter which aren’t recyclable. There are many tape-free wrapping techniques online to try, or you can try  furoshiki, a traditional Japanese method of using cloth to wrap and transport gifts,  making  for beautiful, unique, and reusable packaging.

FOOD

7. Cut your food waste: Food production is the biggest cause of tropical deforestation. Try to cut any waste by planning ahead - be realistic about how much food you need and use up leftovers. Leftover food may be unavoidable, but you can save it and enjoy it the next day by covering it with eco-friendly cling film, foil or wax cloth covers!

8. Eat More Plants: Eating more plant-based meals is good for you and the planet. The livestock industry alone generates nearly 15% of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions and requires space and huge amounts of water and feed. There are lots of meat alternatives around these days. In fact, this year WWF CEE and Tesco CE joined forces to raise awareness of sustainable eating habits to improve health and mitigate the environmental impact of our food. Lear more about our partnership here.

© Elizabeth Dalziel / WWF-UK

9. Know your logos: When shopping for food, look for local produce to reduce food miles (avoiding food that’s been flown around the world to get here), and sustainability certifications such as RSPO-certified palm oil and MSC-certified seafood*.

10. Eat seasonally: Buying locally-produced products when they're in season can ensure your shopping basket is more sustainable as it reduces the energy that might have been spent growing foods out of season (such as hot-house tomatoes) or food that has been shipped to your country (such as asparagus from Peru in winter).

DECORATIONS

11. Table Manners: Avoid single-use tablecloths and napkins and opt for material versions which have a longer lifecycle than their paper equivalents. When it comes to getting out  those  stains, washing at lower temperatures helps to reduce your environmental footprint.

12. Think about your lights: Use LED lights on your Christmas tree, they use less energy and look just as good! Also, switch off your lights at night - it's safer and won’t cost the earth.

Image by Jeremy Kyejo from Pixabay

13. Make your own decorations: Rather than buying new, you can upcycle old decorations or sew your own from spare material from around the house.

14. Don’t forget the tree! If buying a plastic Christmas tree, make sure that you’re going to reuse it for at least 10 years, otherwise, it would have been better to buy a living tree from a sustainable forest. If buying a real tree, make sure it’s FSC-certified (responsibly sourced). Be clear on how to dispose of your tree once the season is over – can you turn it into a log pile in your garden? Purchasing a potted tree is also a good solution as you can reuse it each year! Why not got a step further and rent a Christmas tree? Various places let you care for the tree over the festive period and return it to be replanted for use again the next year. If you want to go all the way for a sustainable Christmas celebration, let your imagination run wild - compose a festive tree from a pile of books, outline its siluette with LED lights, or come up with your own creative idea. When having guests at home use the opportunity to share with them your personal motivation to celebrate a green Christmas.

OUT AND ABOUT

15. Dressing for the party season: This year, choose the sustainable option and try to use clothing that you already own! If you really can’t find anything to wear, ask your friends or family, and try looking around second-hand shops for your new Christmas party outfit.

16. Reconnect to nature: The festive season is all about spending time with friends and family. Try making one of your festive activities a walk around your local park or nature reserve. Winter is a great time to spot all sorts of over-wintering birds. Download WWF’s Seek app, which lets you identify and discover more about local species, while also helping scientists to track global biodiversity.

© Diana Rudenko, WWF